JUDGMENT :

This Criminal Appeal is filed by the State, being represented by the Inspector of Police, Anti-Corruption Bureau (“A.C.B.” for short), Guntur, challenging the judgment, dated 24.07.2006 in C.C.No.16 of 2001, on the file of Special Judge for SPE & ACB Cases, Vijayawada (“Special Judge” for short), where under the learned Special Judge, found the Accused Officer (“A.O” for short) therein not guilty of the charges under Sections 7 and 13(1)(d) r/w 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (“P.C. Act” for short) and acquitted him under Section 248(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (“Cr.P.C.” for short).

2. The parties to this Criminal Appeal will hereinafter be referred as described before the trial Court for the sake of convenience.

3. The State represented by A.C.B., Guntur, filed a charge sheet in Crime No.9/ACB-VJA/2000 of Guntur District under Sections 7 and 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d) of the P.C. Act, alleging in substance as follows :

(i) The A.O. worked as Station Fire Officer, Mangalagiri of Guntur District from 07.07.1997 to 07.08.2000, as such, he is a public servant within the meaning of Section 2(c) of P.C. Act.

(ii) On 21.05.2000 when L.W.1-B. Ramesh Reddy was at Hydera